Coding of spatial location information: an automatic process?

Several researches have claimed that spatial location information is automatically encoded, a claim supported by studies testing several criteria for the identification of automatic processes. However, a careful look at these studies reveals that some have not used appropriate testing methodology, the results of others have not complied with the criteria, and some criteria have not been examined at all. This article includes four experiments in which five criteria for testing the automaticity of cognitive processes were examined. Results show that memory for spatial location information is influenced by intention, age of subjects, competing task loads, practice, strategy manipulations, and individual differences. These results generally hold for memory of absolute location and for relative location information. The reported results are at odds with the claim that memory for spatial location information is exclusively mediated by automatic encoding processes. The concept of automaticity and the appropriateness of the testing criteria are discussed in light of the current results and recent findings on other features of the environment claimed to be automatically encoded.